Ashleigh Ball is known best for voicing both Applejack and Rainbow Dash in the TV series “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic”. She is also narrating and starring in the similar themed documentary “A Brony Tale”, which focuses on the male fan-base surrounding the TV series “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Ashleigh about the documentary and the new season of “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic”

Mike Gencarelli: Being the voice of both voice Applejack and Rainbow Dash; give us your reaction on this enormous fandom surrounding “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic”?
Ashleigh Ball: It is something that I would have never anticipated. There is no way to prepare yourself for something like this. It is very cool to get recognition for doing voice work. It is also very cool that it is a totally unexpected group of people. So it is all weird and wonderful and I love it.

MG: How did you meet up with Brent Hodge to narrate and star in “A Brony Tale”?
AB: Brent and I have known each other for a while now going back to 2008/2009. We met through music. He used to work at CBC Radio 3 and did some interviews with my band Hey Ocean! and we got to know each other that way. We became close and he was always willing to help out with the band. So we were out to dinner one day and we had this discussion about Bronies. I told him he should come to BronyCon with me and start filming this because it would make a really cool documentary. So he agreed and followed me around and got a taste of the Brony life.

MG: Was BronyCon your first interactions with Bronies?
AB: My first interaction was actually caught on film. You can find it on YouTube. Brent also put the clip of me in the film as well. It was at a concert that I played in Vancouver. I was playing a show with my band and afterwards a group of guys came to the merchandise booth and asked me to sign their ponies. They were Bronies and they came all the way from Seattle. So that was the first time I met a Brony in person…and definitely not the last time!

MG: Do you think that this film will have an impact for these fans?
AB: Yeah. I think it is a great introduction into the world of Bronies. It explains who they are and what they stand for. It is way more of a community than the actual series. It is a good for someone who is not familiar with Bronies and think it is weird or perverted. It definitely clears up the whole Brony mystique.

MG: How did the film get support from Morgan Spurlock?
AB: Yeah, it was pretty crazy. Brent worked for a company in San Francisco and was at a Super Bowl party and Morgan was there. They told them about he was doing a documentary about Bronies. Morgan loved the idea, watched the film and called the next day and wanted to be involved. He is really excited about the film and the subject matter. I got to meet him in NY and he is a very cool guy.

MG: Season four of “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic” just ended but I am sure that fans are looking forward to season five already; any news from that?
AB: Yeah, we are in the process right now of recording season five. It is great. I can’t tell much about the episodes, but it is going to be very great. Lots of cool music and plot twist. Yeah, it is going to be great. It has such great writing and it is a wonderful show to be a part of.

Ashley Eckstein is known best for her role of Ashoka Tano in the TV series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”. She also started the company Her Universe, which has a mission to create stylish, fashion-forward merchandise for female sci-fi fans. Her Universe has joined forces with some of the biggest names in the sci-fi/fantasy world to create merchandise exclusively for female fans – both apparel and accessories for such well-known names as Star Wars, Doctor Who, Star Trek and The Walking Dead. Ashley Eckstein has now become one of the leading voices for female fans while Her Universe is making fangirls “geek chic” from head to toe! Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Ashley to discuss her new lines for this Summer and also what she has planned for this year’s San Diego Comic Con.

Mike Gencarelli: Let’s talk about your exciting team up with Marvel for your Ultimate Fangirl Fashion Apparel Line, what can we expect?
Ashley Eckstein: Our Marvel line is something that I am really excited about. It was something that I have been on working on for well over a year now. Fans have been asking me for Marvel at least a couple times a week, every week for a long time. So Marvel was the top of my list of licences to get next. It took some searching to get the right contact but once I got it, I reached out and we just had some great conversations. Marvel is so supportive of their female fans. They have been trying to find a way to do more and to shine the spotlight on their female fans. We were able to get a deal with them in the Fall of 2013 and we were off and designing in December of 2013. It takes a while to develop and line and get product made. We have been working on it though for quite some time. It was a very tough secret to keep.

MG: How did you go about picking which characters would be featured in this line?
AE: That is the tough part [laughs]. Marvel has such a huge universe. There are so many characters and where do you start? To give the short story, there are only so many characters in our license, so that narrowed it down a bit for us. With the new films this year like “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”, that was a big inspiration for us. You also need to design in mind for “The Avengers”, so we do have some Black Widow. We started with a few classics and are already designing for many more characters and listening to the fan feedback everyday to offer fans what they want.

MG: I know plenty of fangirls who love the character Loki…
AE: Yes, we already have a Loki dress that we will be coming out with soon [laughs].

MG: Sticking with Marvel; you are also voicing Dagger on the animated series, “Ultimate Spider-Man” in the upcoming season…
AE: Yeah, they haven’t aired yet. I believe these are airing sometime this Fall. But I am excited to voice that classic character, which we haven’t seen in a while.

MG: Marvel is not the only new line you have; you also just launched a “Transformers” Fangirl Fashion Line; tell us about that?
AE: We have been working on Transformers about the same length of time we have been working on Marvel. We got the license back in the Fall and have been designing for that since then. Since it is such a classic franchise, there is so much you can do with it. Of course we started with Optimus Prime and Bumblebee. We went a little retro with it especially with Dinobots being in the new film. So we have them and. of course. we are designing for some Decepticons as well as some of the female Transformers as well. There is just so much and I am very excited to get to play in this universe.

MG: If those two aren’t cool enough, I see you also launched a new Doctor Who line; tell us about that?
AE: Yeah, Doctor Who is something that is constanstly going on for us. I am such a massive Doctor Who fan myself, especially with the new Doctor coming up this August. In the meantime, I feel like all the fangirls in America still have Doctor Who fever including myself [laughs]. So you can look forward to a lot of new Doctor Who designs coming up. Also I am excited that our Doctor Who line is now available in Walt Disney World’s Epcot in the UK Pavilion. So that is really cool as well.

MG: You are also still coming out with great new “Star Wars” lines including your all-new Custom R2-D2 My Hero Jewelry Line; tell us about that new exciting line?
AE: The jewelry is all handmade, great quality and made in the USA over in Downtown Los Angeles. I have the opportunity to collaborate with The Sparkle Factory and they did this collection for us. I love jewelry and I was getting fed up with some that fall apart after only a few wears. These are higher end collectible pieces that are going to last the test of time. I wanted some nicer jewelry for “Star Wars”, so we got this opportunity and these are great pieces and pieces that you can be proud to give as a gift. While they are more expensive, I still wanted to keep them affordable for the quality that you are getting. They are priced between $38-85 dollars. I am very proud of this jewelry and there is definitely more coming. We are playing with Darth Vader next, got to give some love to the Dark Side as well. We started with R2-D2 because he is my favorite…and my hero.

MG: Also tell us about your #FlauntYourWorld Instagram Fangirl Fashionista contest?
AE: I am just so inspired by all the fangirls that are posting their photos with Her Universe lines. We used that hash tag before but we wanted a way to be able to search these photos. So we were asking the fans to use #FlauntYourWorld hashtag for their photos and once a month we are picking an Instagram Fangirl Fashionista. She will appear on the our website for the entire month and also get a $50 gift card. It is exciting for me to see everyone’s photos. I never wanted to be the only Her Universe model, so I am excited to be able to showcase our fans.

MG: Lastly, I hear you have some exciting plans and are collaborating with Nerdist Industires at San Diego Comic-Con for the very first “Her Universe Fashion Show”?
AE: Yeah! We are doing the first ever “Geek Couture” fashion show at San Diego Comic-Con this year. We are teaming up with Nerdist and also Hot Topic. We have pre-selected 36 designers. They range from some professional and some amateur designers. They are going to be walking the runway on July 24th at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, which is just two hotels down from the convention center. These are “Geek Couture” pieces and they are seriously awesome. They are going to blown people away. We are going to pick two winners, a judges pick and an audience pick. They are going to have the opportunity to design a Her Universe collection with myself to be sold at Hot Topic. Nerdist will be posting the entire fashion show at somepoint in August as well for those who can’t make it. We are really excited about this! So if you are going to San Diego Comic Con, don’t miss this!

“The Strain” is a novel, which spawned a trilogy from Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, which also are co-creators, executive producers and writers for the new limited series on FX. Emmy® Award winning Writer and Producer Carlton Cuse (“Lost”) is serving as Executive Producer/Showrunner and Writer.

“The Strain” is a high concept thriller that tells the story of “Dr. Ephraim Goodweather,” the head of the Center for Disease Control Canary Team in New York City. He and his team are called upon to investigate a mysterious viral outbreak with hallmarks of an ancient and evil strain of vampirism. As the strain spreads, Eph, his team, and an assembly of everyday New Yorkers, wage war for the fate of humanity itself.

Media Mikes had a chance to chat with The Strain’s Co-Creator / Executive Producer / Director Guillermo del Toro and Show Runner / Executive Producer / Writer Carlton Cuse  about the new series and what we can expect.

Carlton, tell us how you first got involved in this project?
Carlton Cuse: I had read the first Strain novel as a fan of both Guillermo’s work, and also independently I knew Chuck Hogan, and so I was very curious to see what this collaboration would look like. And I was just intrigued by the subject matter. I had read the first novel when it came out in 2009 and really enjoyed it, and then basically about two years ago my agent called me up and said that there was some interest in doing The Strain as a television series and would I be interested in it. I went and met with Guillermo and I had a really good meeting, and I basically decided to get involved, for two reasons. One, because I had a lot of respect for Guillermo as a filmmaker and I thought, particularly in a monster show like this, that he’s one of the most imaginative guys out there in terms of creating creatures and worlds. And I also thought that embedded in the book was this fantastic opportunity to upend the vampire genre, as the vampire genre has sort of been overrun by romance, and that we had had our fill of vampires that we’re feeling sorry for because they had romantic problems. And it was time to go back to the conception of vampires as really scary, dangerous creatures, and in so doing that there was a way to kind of make a genre show that would be different than anything that was out there on the TV landscape.

Being a fan of the book series; what is your plan to incorporate the sequels into the series?
CC: Book one is season one, yes. We basically follow the narrative of the first book in the first season. The plan is that the show will run somewhere between three and five seasons, and as we work out the mythology and the storytelling for season two we’ll have a better idea of exactly how long our journey is going to be. But it won’t be more than five seasons, we’re definitely writing to an endpoint, and we’re following the path as established in Guillermo and Chuck’s novels. But obviously there’s a lot that’s also going to be added. The television show is its own experience, and there are new characters and new situations, different dramatic developments, so the show and the book can each be separately enjoyed. I think that the goal is not to literally translate the book into a television show. You want to take the book as a source of inspiration and then make the best possible television show that you can make. And I think Guillermo, Chuck, myself, all of us involved have basically said, okay, here’s the book, now how do we take the best stuff in here and then use that as elements and then make the best TV show we can. But we view the TV show as its own creation.

Guillermo del Toro: It was very clear from the start that we had the three books to plunder, but we also had the chance of inventing. We talked about milestones, that we want the milestones and the characters that are in the book to be hit, but with that it became very malleable. Carlton decided, I think very wisely in retrospect, it made perfect sense as a game plan to, for example, leave the origins of The Master, which we opened book one with for a second season, if we go that way, and, for example, bringing a set piece from book two to bookend the story of one character on season one. So, it’s a very elastic relationship that the series has with the book, but by that same token it’s very respectful and mindful of the things that will not alienate someone that likes the books. It should feel as seamless. And I think the decisions we have to understand when Carlton is guiding us through this new medium for the story, to trust and know that his decisions are guided by huge experience and a prestigious career.

Guillermo, how was the transition from feature films to cable television?
GDT: The transition came from both Chuck and I, it was very smooth in many ways because we had the chance to adapt the novels to comic book form with Dark Horse. And coming in we really sought Carlton’s guidance into this new form. I think there never has been an occasion in which our dialogue has seen anyone read the books and say, “This is not the way it’s in the books.” So that much was very satisfactory. For me as a producer and director, it was about having some of the quirks that come from a feature film. I asked FX to give us a long pre-production period so I could really plan out the makeup effects, the creature effects, the visual effects, all of which I have big experience with, in order to try to bring to the pilot a big scope feel to the series doing sophisticated effects and some set pieces, while staying on a fiscally responsible budget and managing. And from a director’s point of view it was the same on the pilot. I didn’t want to go back and say, can I get one day more? Can I do many extra hours? I wanted to fit in the sandbox what I was hoping would feel like a big pilot episode for a big series. And that pre-planning was crucial, but also adjusting the way I staged, the way I approach coverage, or storytelling, and yet not sacrificing anything. It was both some fiscal constraints, but creative absolute freedom, which was a huge thrill for me to get a phone call from John Landgraf before starting the series, saying to me, “We encourage creator content, we love Carlton, we love you, and we want you guys to do the most idiosyncratic, best version of the series that you can.”

Can you tell us about the decision to do this as a limited series?
CC: I think that we’re moving into this new phase of television where I think audiences are really embracing stories with a beginning, middle, and end. And if you look at the success this season, for instance, of True Detective and Fargo, as well as the kind of incredible response that the end of Breaking Bad got, I think that you have to recognize that the audience wants to see stories that come to a conclusion. They want the full and rounded experience. And television has been sort of a first act and sort of an endless second act, and I think that the best television now is giving you a three act experience. And I think that that’s what we want to do with our show.
GDT: I agree with Carlton. I think one of the things that we made essential when we pitched the series everywhere, and certainly at FX, is we came in and we said we are not going to be extending beyond the—we presented two arcs, one that can fulfill three or four seasons, and hopefully the second or third book are complex enough that they can generate a fifth one. But we literally said it needs to end when it needs to end, and that was a central part of finding a home for the series.

Can you talk about the creature development for this show?
GDT: Yes. I’ve been obsessed by vampires for a long, long time, since I was a very young kid, and a very strange kid. I read about vampire mythology worldwide and I familiarized myself with the Japanese, Filipino, Malaysian, and Eastern European variations on the vampire, and many, many others. And I kept very detailed notes as a kid on where to go with the vampire myth in terms of brutality, social structure, biology, this and that, and some of those notes made it into my first feature, Cronos, some of them made it in Blade II, when I directed that, and most of them made it into The Strain. And designing them, we knew and we had it very clear that, for example, The Master needed to be hidden for at least half the season or more to not make him that accessible. I came up with the idea that this guy that has been alive for centuries and essentially is an apex of the Dark Ages in the middle of a world of imminent modernity. You have people with cell phones, jet airplanes, iPads, texting, Internet, all of that, and in the middle of it there is a 9 foot tall, hand carved coffin with a creature that has been alive for centuries. And it’s ancient, and that’s what makes it powerful, that it doesn’t care about any of the modern accoutrements of mankind that gives mankind such a false sense of security. And The Master needed to look that ancient, so we decided that he was going to become his wardrobe and that eventually when he reveals himself you have a second layer. So we designed the wardrobe, the cape and the multiple layers of clothes that are falling apart, because he has an accumulation of clothes over the 1800s, 1900s, 21st century, he’s just accumulating rags, and he needed to look like a lump, like a bunch of rags thrown on the floor, then come alive, and out of all these rags comes out this incredibly glistening and viscerally biological appendage that then drains the first victim. And that’s the way we started guiding the process of designing The Master. And the more we go into the season, the more you see of him and the more you discover layer after layer of that creature design.

What about FX made you decide the network was the right place for The Strain?
GDT: We had a fantastic first meeting, if I may say so. We had an incredible meeting in which the very head of the network and everybody in that room knew patently well and intimately the three books. And yet they were excited by Carlton, they were excited by the possibility of not just doing the books but where would Carlton take it as a show runner, they were excited about, okay, that’s the universe, but we see many more possibilities than that. That made it very unique in our eyes. And they celebrated the aspects of the series that were edgier, or less of a kind that we have seen before. The other thing for me that was unique is I’m a follower of the brand, I’m a big FX fan, and they give you time to find your footing. They give you time to establish, especially in a genre like this, you know you cannot just do everything at once, reinvent everything at once. You either reinvent the characters in a genre story, or you reinvent the generic traits with characters that you’re able to place in the normal canon of the genre and then little by little evolve those characters, and that needs time. And FX has been known to be supportive of series that find their footing and creatively allow them to explore anything from characters you’ve seen before that then transform into things that are new, or concepts that are very new that go to daring places. So, it made it a unique place for the show.

CC: I would just add to everything that Guillermo said, that again we were presenting them with a very specific business model about how we wanted to approach the show, that we wanted to have the show last between three and five seasons, that we needed them to spend a bunch of money up front to do the R&D and the work that was necessary to do the world building for our show, and they would have to spend money up front on writing a bunch of scripts. And they jumped in wholeheartedly and they embraced the way in which we wanted to produce the show, as well as our creative vision, and we felt incredible confidence coming out of our meetings with them that they were the exact right partners for us.

The Empire. The Rebellion. The Beginning. STAR WARS REBELS, Lucasfilm’s highly anticipated animated series detailing the start of the fight against the evil Empire, is coming this fall – but fans can get a big sneak peek at San Diego Comic-Con.

Lucasfilm’s special panel, The Heroes of Star Wars Rebels (Thursday, 7/24/14, 6:00pm – 7:00pm, Room: 6BCF), will feature executive producer Dave Filoni, as well as the first panel appearance by executive producer Simon Kinberg and stars Freddie Prinze, Jr., Vanessa Marshall, Steve Blum, Tiya Sircar, and Taylor Gray. They’ll discuss making the show and will debut several exclusive reveals from the upcoming series for fans in attendance.

Star Wars Rebels continues the epic tradition of the legendary Star Wars saga with all-new exciting, action-packed adventures.   It is a dark time in the galaxy, as the evil Galactic Empire tightens its grip of power from world to world.  As the series begins, Imperial forces have occupied a remote planet, ruling with an iron fist and ruining the lives of its people.  The clever and motley crew of the starship Ghost is amongst a select few who are brave enough to stand against the Empire. Together, this ragtag group will face threatening new villains, encounter colorful adversaries, embark on thrilling adventures and become heroes with the power to ignite a rebellion.

Scheduled to premiere in the fall as a one-hour special telecast on Disney Channel, it will be followed by a series on Disney XD channels around the world.

“The Best of the Worst of the Great Outdoors”

NEW BERLIN, WI (July 3, 2014) – Illusionist and magician Penn Jillette is teaming with Sportsman Channel, the leader in outdoor television for American sportsmen and women, for the launch of the network’s newest original program Camp Stew,exclusively premiering on Thursday, July 17 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT.

Camp Stew – a reference to a favorite hunters’ dish comprised of a mishmash of ingredients including ground beef, chicken, pork, beans, corn, tomatoes and other additions – on Sportsman Channel will comprise of a variety of clips from all facets of the outdoor lifestyle. The new and exciting 10-episode program will showcase some of the craziest outdoor videos ever recorded, with Penn adding his unique brand of commentary to these incredible clips. Each 30-minute episode will feature host commentary from Penn Jillette in front of clips of some of the wildest adventures ever caught on tape.

Clips will include footage involving “Girls and Guns,” “Backyard Rambos,” “Wild Hunts and Cold Outdoors,” “Outdoor Pranks,” “Unreal Shots,” and many more scenes that will elicit a smile, offer a grimace, and even educate. Camp Stew is the third show produced in conjunction with Sportsman Channel and Pilgrim Studios. Executive Producers are Craig Piligian, Jake Shelton and Brett Boydstun.

“A series never tasted so good.  This show will entertain and engage viewers with the sometimes amazing and sometimes humorous side of the outdoor lifestyle,” said Marc Fein, executive vice president of programming and production for Sportsman Channel. “Having Penn Jillette as the host of Camp Stew is magic!”

“I’m happy to be a part of the Sportsman Channel family,” added Jillette, a noted firearms enthusiast and second amendment advocate. “I’m way excited to host Camp Stew, a show about serious outdoor fails. No camera tricks, no magic, just plain funny real-life wackiness in the great outdoors.”

Additionally, Sportsman Channel has engaged John Deere in a significant partnership for the duration of Camp Stew. John Deereis one of the biggest and most respected brands in the world and will provide a presence in Camp Stew throughout the third quarter.

Sportsman Channel is a part of the nation’s largest multimedia company targeting and created exclusively to serve the information and entertainment needs of outdoors enthusiasts. Sportsman Channel is dedicated to providing the most entertaining and informative hunting, shooting and fishing multimedia content while also promoting conservation and the tradition of the sportsman lifestyle.

Join the Twitter conversation @SPORTSMANchnl and let your voice be heard by using #CampStewTV.

About Pilgrim Studios: Craig Piligian’s Pilgrim Studios produces a wide variety of unscripted and scripted programming for television, including hit series Fast N’ Loud, Street Outlaws and #BikerLive for Discovery; Ghost Hunters and The Wil Wheaton Project for Syfy; The Ultimate Fighter for FOX Sports 1; Down East Dickering for History; Orange County Choppers and Swamp Pawn for CMT; Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s and Raising Whitley for OWN (Pilgrim also produced the eight-part documentary Lindsayfor the network); David Tutera: Unveiled for WEtv; Wicked Tuna and its new spin-off, Wicked Tuna: North vs. South, for National Geographic Channel; and Bring It! for Lifetime. In the scripted realm, Pilgrim’s original movies for Lifetime include Amanda Knox: Murder On Trial In Italy; Abducted: The Carlina White Story, which earned a 2012 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing In A Motion Picture; and the crime thriller Stalkers.  Among Pilgrim’s current scripted projects is the pilot Recovery Road for ABC Family, starring Samantha Logan.

About Sportsman Channel: Launched in 2003, Sportsman Channel/Sportsman HD is the only television and digital media company fully devoted to honoring a lifestyle that is celebrated by millions of Americans. The leader in outdoor television, Sportsman Channel delivers entertaining and informative programming that embraces outdoor adventure, hunting and fishing, and reveals it through unique, surprising and authentic storytelling. Sportsman Channel embraces the attitude of  “Red, Wild & Blue America” – where the American Spirit and Great Outdoors are celebrated in equal measure. The network also is dedicated to promoting our nation’s military heroes and veterans, as well as providing a voice for conservation throughout the United States.Sportsman Channel reaches more than 36 million U.S. television households. Stay connected to Sportsman Channel online at www.thesportsmanchannel.com; Facebook, (facebook.com/sportsmanchannel); Twitter (twitter.com/SPORTSMANchnl and twitter.com/SportsmanPR) and YouTube (youtube.com/TheSportsmanChannel).

To find Sportsman Channel in your area click here.

R. Lee Ermey aka “The Gunny” is a retired United States Marine Corps Staff Sergeant and an honorary Gunnery Sergeant. He is best known for his role of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick’s “Full Metal Jacket”. Since then he has appeared in many films and TV including hosting shows like “Mail Call” and “Lock N’ Load with R. Lee Ermey”. His last TV series just finished it’s first season on Sportman Channel called “Saving Private K-9”. Media Mikes had a chance to catch up with R. Lee to chat about his new series and his love for dogs.

Mike Gencarelli: What drew you to host “Saving Private K-9”?
R. Lee Ermey: This has been a really fun show to do. It’s called “Saving Private K-9”, come on everyone in America loves dogs. Hell yeah, this is America. I am a dog lover. I had six dogs myself…up until a few years ago. The kids were starting leaving home and each one took their dog with them and the next thing you know I am down to two dogs. I am going to have to go down to the kennel and adopt a couple of more [laughs].

MG: Did you have any experience with these dogs during your time in the United States Marine Corps?
RLE: RLE: Absolutely! That is what this is all about. It is about military dogs, working dogs, police dogs and law enforcement dogs. It is just a beautiful thing for me. I have worked with the dogs that sniff out bombs and landmines. They have saved thousands of lives during the war in Afghanistan. They are amazing animals.

MG: Did you need to research much on the topic before doing this show?
RLE: No, since I had experience working them. I did find out that years ago, if the handlers were killed or injured, the dogs used to be euthanized thinking that they were a one guy deal. They have found out in the past that if something happens to the handler that the dog can be handed over to another handler. It would take maybe a month or so but the dog transfer over very nicely.

MG: How did you end up at Sportsman Channel?
RLE: I just happen to be a sportsman [laughs], so it seems like a good fit. Just this year, Sportsman Channel has really decided to make their mark in this world. Instead of just hunting shows, they are now reaching out with four or five really great new shows. It is becoming a station that you and I and everyone in America can watch even if you disagree with hunting. We have done 10 episodes, so far and since the show has been such a great success, I believe we are gearing up to do many more. I just can’t believe how many people have been drawn to Sportsman Channel because of this little show.

MG: What do you see for the future of the show?
RLE: What I would like to think that we will do outside the show will be to help some of these dogs get adopted. These dogs are very laid back and well trained. After 8-10 years, they look to retire these dogs that have been protecting our country and they put them in a kennel. We need to get these dogs adopted and into good homes. I would also like to show to branch out to the training of the dogs as well. I would like get in on the ground floor and show people how the dogs trained and brought along, so you might be able to train your own dog. A good well-disciplined down is just a joy to be around.

 Titus Welliver first joined the Marvel universe in the short one-shot, “Item 47”. Taking place in the aftermath of the Battle of New York in 2012’s The Avengers, Welliver played SHIELD Agent Blake. The short saw Blake sending Agent Sitwell (later of “Hail HYDRA” fame, boooo, hiss!) to recover a lost Chitauri weapon from a pair of common criminals on a bank robbing spree. There it was implied he was previously the superior agent to Clark Gregg’s Agent Coulson. No surprise then, with Coulson’s resurrection, Blake too cropped up on ABC’s Agents of SHIELD.

Now that SHIELD has a temporary NYC home at Discovery Times Square’s Marvel’s Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. with Agent Blake inducting new agents on a daily basis, Welliver dropped by for a tour with his family last week. He gamely tried out several of the interactive exhibits and visited with some important Marvel props (including Item 47 itself). I was happy to get to tagalong with them, along with the exhibit’s executive director, Mark Smith. Both men were extremely knowledgable on their Marvel comics and it was a pleasure to see the exhibit in the company of these enthusiastic fans.

Lauren Damon: When you did Item 47, did you know Agents of the SHIELD could be happening?
Titus Welliver: No, Agents of SHIELD was probably in the works at that time, I didn’t know that they were going to do an Agents of SHIELD show. So when I did Item 47, it was just–I flipped out. I was so excited to do it. Because Blake and in that he’s kind of a Walter Mitty character, you can kind of tell he’s just champing at the bit to get out in the field and do something.

LD: Agent Blake’s background is having been a superior officer to Agent Coulson, did you and Clark Gregg have any discussion on their roles before the Avengers?
TW: No, I mean we didn’t. Clark was my roommate in college, so we’ve known each other for a really long time so he sort of hinted after I did Item 47 that there was stuff coming down the pipe. So when we actually got to work together it was pretty funny for us because we were such total goofoffs in college and now we’re like these Agents of SHIELD being all serious standing on the helicarrier so it’s really fun.

LD: Your SHIELD episodes aired prior to The Winter Soldier premiering, after those events, where does that put Agent Blake?
TW: Well they’ve got to reconstruct SHIELD now from the ground up now that’s it’s been so heavily compromised and destroyed. So it will be interesting to see how they resurrect SHIELD within–and as you saw on the show, it ended on a pretty bleak note. So…those writers are so good. They’ll find a way to bring it back up and I’m just happy for the show because I think it’s a smart show. I don’t think we’ve had anything like that you know, maybe The X-Files sort of the closest comparison I could come up with. And that was a phenomenal show. But with the science and the whole
Marvel universe, because everything is so interconnected, the places they can go are kind of endless.

LD: Finally, who is your favorite Avenger?
TW: My favorite Avenger? Captain America.
LD: Alright!
TW: I mean…ahhh that’s hard! I mean, I like them all. But yeah, I’m a huge Captain America fan from way back and I have probably about eighty-five percent of the original Captain America comics. So yeah, I’m a big geek.

Fittingly, in Captain America’s space at the Discovery Center, I asked Mark Smith how they went about choosing which of Captain Rogers’s props would be placed within the exhibit:

Mark Smith: It’s based on the storyline really. So with Captain America, the rebirth pod was a big part of that. The initiation of the super soldier program itself so we wanted to make sure we had real props and costumes and pieces from the movie to be able to then blend into the storyline about how Captain America is the super soldier.

Marvel’s Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. is now open at 44^th street in New York’s Times Square, you can read more about visiting the center at its official website . In the meantime, Titus Welliver can currently be seen in “Transformers: Age of Extinction”.

Brian Regan started off in the comedy business after his 1997 CD, “Brian Regan Live” took off and became a huge success. Since then we have been non-stop touring, has worked with Jerry Seinfeld and has appeared on “The Late Show with David Letterman” over 25 times. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Brian about up summer comedy tour, which makes a stop in Orlando FL on June 21st. and about his amazing career as a stand-up comedian.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your current tour this summer with upcoming stops in Orlando, FL?
Brian Regan: If people like music and dancing and comedy, come on out because I offer one third of that [laughs]. I never know how to sell my own show. It’s me just doing my comedy and that is kind of it. I love the simplicity of it. It is also fascinating to me being off stage before the show starts and you look out and see a microphone stand, a stool and a bottle of water…then you go “Wow, that’s it…that is all I got out there” [laughs]. The simplicity is beautiful and I love the challenge of it.

MG: What do you do to prepare for each show?
BR: I am not like some people that have a crazy routine they have to follow. I will re-tie my shoes though. I know it sounds goofy but the thought of having a shoe untied on stage kills me for some reason. I had a shoe untie when I was on stage a couple of years ago and it just felt incredible awkward, you know? I had to try and put the mic under my armpit and tie my shoe…and you have a thousand people watching you [laughing]. They are thinking “This is supposed to be entertainment…not watching a guy tie his shoe”. It just felt wrong.
MG: …Wow, I can’t believe that he double knots [laughs]
BR: [laughs] Yeah, maybe I should invest in those kids’ Velcro shoes or something, I don’t know.

MG: How do you blend your classic work with your new material when you perform a live show?
BR: When I first come out, I do about an hour and that is the most recent material from the last few years. This is the show that I am working on, so to speak, is the more recent stuff…the fresher stuff. Then usually, I will say “Goodnight” and then come back out and do a little encore. During that time, I might do a handful of bits that people are more familiar with and they will be able to shout out and so on. I like having that line in the sand to delineate between the two. It would be awkward for me to just do old bits. I would feel a little stale.

MG: I saw one of your shows a few years back and people kept calling out for classic bits…
BR: It is an interesting dilemma. I am honored that people know my stuff and want to hear it. My fans are very cool. They usually know that for my first hour they let me do my thing and they know they will have an opportunity at the end to shout out. You can get some people shouting out in the middle of the show “Do Donut Lady! Take Luck!” I usually just smile, nod and go back to my new stuff [laughing]. I try and nice guy it and usually they get the hint. Some people don’t get the hint and they keep yelling and then I have to tell them the process and how I will get back to that stuff once I plow through this new stuff. Then if they heckle a third time…I have them shot with a BAZOOKA! [laughs].

MG: Congrats on recently making your 26th appearance on “The Late Show with David Letterman”, the most of any comedian; how does this feel for you?
BR: Thanks man, I am very honored by it. There was a day that I couldn’t even get on the show. I had auditioned a couple of times. They were intrigued but never pulled the trigger on me. When I did get on the show, it meant the world to me. Doing the one means everything and the moment you are done, you think “Wow, was it good enough to get a second” [laughs]. Automatically you have a new goal. It is like crossing the finish line at a marathon and wondering where the next 26 miles go to. I obviously did well enough that I was brought back a second time and I was able to just get some traction on that show. Clearly Letterman and the show seemed to like me and it just feels tremendous to have this constant national booster shot that I can get on the show about every nine months.

MG: Along with David Letterman, you have many big named celebrities like Jerry Seinfeld and Patton Oswalt praising your work; does that add any pressure to how to perform?
BR: Nah, listen I am incredibly honored by it. When you have people who do what you do like what you do. It is like the ultimate compliment. I don’t put any extra pressure on my shoulders. What is the expression…”you dance with the one that brung you”. I just do what I always done. I just try and come up with stuff that I think is funny. I just do my thing. What I like is turning the material over. To me, that is one of the thing that has really helped me along the ways. Every couple of years, I feel like I have another hour of material under my belt. So people tend to keep coming back. So I try not to worry about what other comedians will think. I am honored that they like what I do but I think they like what I do because I do what I want to do [laughs].

MG: How do you feel that stand-up has changed since starting back in the mid-90’s?
BR: The technical side of things have definitely changed. It gives the average Joe Blow out there in the entertainment world a fighting chance, especially if the powers that be aren’t inclined to give them a fighting chance. Back in the day when it was just TV, you needed to convince “The Late Show” or “The Tonight Show” that you were funny. Then getting on one of those, I am going way back here, was sort of being knighted. It put you into the forefront. Now things are much more fractured, there is many ways to get content out there. Anybody can tape themselves and put it up on YouTube. If they have some jets then they might be able to get some traction, which could lead to the higher ups taking notice. So for the most part it is good but there is just a sea of content out there and in some ways makes it harder to break through. There are a million people with a million clips.

Disney

Disney Television Animation has begun production on “The Lion Guard,” an animated television movie and series that continues the story introduced 20 years ago in the acclaimed Disney animated film “The Lion King.” Geared towards kids age 2-7 and their families, “The Lion Guard” television movie will premiere in Fall 2015, and the subsequent series will debut in early 2016 on Disney Junior and Disney Channel.

The wildlife education experts at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park will serve as consultants on “The Lion Guard” stories, which will incorporate themes of conservation, family and community while also highlighting problem-solving, creative thinking and diversity. Author and Swahili expert Sarah Mirza is the language and cultural advisor.

Nancy Kanter, Executive Vice President, Original Programming and General Manager, Disney Junior Worldwide, said, “The story of ‘The Lion King’ has deeply touched families around the world since its original theatrical release 20 years ago. We look forward to introducing a whole new generation of kids to both the Disney legacy characters and to new friends and heroes.”

“The Lion Guard” begins as Kion, the second-born cub of Simba and Nala, assumes the role of leader of the Lion Guard, a group of the bravest and brightest tasked with preserving the Pride Lands. Instead of assembling a team of young lions to serve with him, Kion challenges tradition by calling upon friends he believes are the best choices – Bunga, a fearless honey badger; Fuli, a confident cheetah; Beshte, a happy-go-lucky hippo; and Ono, an intellectual egret. Stories will include special appearances by Mufasa, Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, Zazu and Kion’s older sister, Kiara, the future Queen of the Pride Lands.

“The Lion Guard” movie and series were developed by Ford Riley (“Special Agent Oso”), who also serves as executive producer. Howy Parkins (“Jake and the Never Land Pirates”) is director. Christopher Willis (“Mickey Mouse”) is the composer.

Originally released in June 1994, the Academy Award-winning animated film “The Lion King” is a Disney story with long-lasting appeal and creative interpretations across multiple Disney businesses.

The lifetime global box office total for “The Lion King” is $987.4 million; its 2011 3D re-release was #1 for its first two weeks; its Grammy Award-winning soundtrack sold over 14 million units; a Tony Award-winning musical, now in its 17th year on Broadway and with 10 productions in eight languages currently running worldwide, has been seen by over 70 million people around the globe and is the highest-grossing Broadway production in history. The North American tour and the Broadway show each surpassed $1 billion in ticket sales while global ticket sales surpassed $5 billion worldwide (from 22 productions). The Lion King is one of the biggest home entertainment titles of all time, and the direct-to-video release of “Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride” is one of the best-selling direct-to-video releases of all time. “The Lion King” franchise also includes 85 episodes of the Emmy Award-winning animated television series “The Lion King’s Timon and Pumbaa” andpopular attractions at Disney Parks and Resorts. Twenty years since the film’s release, “The Lion King” also continues to resonate with millions of fans who connect with the enduring story and timeless characters through a wide range of products, including nursery décor, bedding and junior fashion.

Marking the animated film’s 20^th anniversary, a special edition of the soundtrack exploring the stories behind the songs will be released June 24 as part of Walt Disney Records’ Legacy Collection. An electronic dance music version of “Circle of Life,” by music producer/composer/DJ Mat Zo, is on the recently released DCONSTRUCTED, a collection of EDM remixes of classic Disney songs.

Your favorite ABC shows are headed to DVD this fall. Here’s what’s coming down the pipe:

Grey’s Anatomy: The Complete Tenth Season on DVD September 2nd
Castle: The Complete Sixth Season on DVD September 16th
Nashville: The Complete Second Season on DVD September 23rd
Once Upon a Time: The Complete Third Season on Blu-ray and DVD August 19th
Scandal: The Complete Third Season on DVD September 23rd
Revenge: The Complete Third Season on DVD September 26th

The Stakes Are Higher Than Ever Before in the Brilliant Sixth Season of TV’s Favorite Crime Drama* 

CASTLE: THE COMPLETE SIXTH SEASON

Own Every Case and Relive All of Your Favorite Moments on DVD September 16, 2014

Get Even More Castle with Exclusive Never-Before-Seen Bonus Features

Synopsis: After Castle’s stunning romantic proposal to Beckett, what happens next? TV’s magnetic crime-fighting couple faces a whole new set of challenges as they juggle wedding plans and their most intriguing cases yet in ABC’s Castle: The Complete Sixth Season.

Beckett’s new job with the Justice Department takes her away from the wisecracking love of her life. But Castle’s devotion to his new fiancée – and her fascinating line of work – jeopardizes her career and creates a chain of events that might separate them forever. Back on the home front, Castle is none too pleased to discover his daughter has seemingly been captivated by, and now living with, her new, free-spirited boyfriend. It’s a season of surprises you won’t want to miss!

Experience every engaging moment of Castle’s brilliant sixth season, complete with all 23 unforgettable episodes, plus never-before-seen bonus features only available on DVD.

Talent/Cast: Castle stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as Kate Beckett,
Seamus Dever as Kevin Ryan, Jon Huertas as Javier Esposito, Tamala Jones as Laurie Parish, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle and Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers.

Creator: Andrew W. Marlowe (Air Force One, End of Days)

Bonus Features:
Disc 1
Character Commentary (Need To Know episode) with Detectives Javier Esposito and Kevin Ryan
Deleted Scenes

Disc 2
Audio Commentary (The Good, The Bad & The Baby episode) with Director John Terlesky, Consulting Producer/Writer Terri Edda Miller, Nathan Fillion and Seamus Dever

Disc 3
Audio Commentary (Deep Cover episode) with Supervising Producer/Writer Terrence Paul Winter, Nathan Fillion, Susan Sullivan and James Brolin
Deleted Scenes

Disc 4
Audio Commentary (In The Belly of the Beast episode) with Creator/Executive Producer/Writer Andrew W. Marlowe, Executive Producer/Writer David Amann and Executive Producer/Director Rob Bowman
Deleted Scenes
Castle Karaoke (TBD) – An extended performance of Seamus Dever singing “What I Like About You” in 618 The Way of the Ninja.

Disc 5
Castle in a Day with Stana Katic – Get an inside look at a day in the life of Castle with actress Stana Katic. Directed by filmmaker Mark Polish, this is a stylistic and intimate diary of a day during the cliff hanger scene of the season 6 finale.
A Few of Our Favorite Things – Nathan Fillion, Susan Sullivan and Molly Quinn, along with the rest of the cast and crew share some of their favorite things about Castle which we’ll compare to fan favorites collected via social media polls. Creator/Executive Producer Andrew W. Marlowe and Producer/Writer Terri Edda Miller reveal their favorite part of the show, the Castle and Beckett relationship and debut an unaired Castle and Kate moment from the season 4 finale.
Bloopers
Deleted  Scenes

Live For The Moments.

GREY’S ANATOMY: THE COMPLETE TENTH SEASON

 All 24 Heart-Stopping Episodes Plus Exclusive Bonus Features On DVD September 2, 2014

Synopsis:  The storm may have passed, but now the relationships and romance of Grey-Sloan Memorial must survive in its wake.  Bonds are tested, love is lost and the hospital bids farewell to Dr. Cristina Yang.  Experience every heart-stopping moment in the “can’t miss” tenth season of ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Following a massive mudslide, the hospital becomes a madhouse, and the lives of two doctors hang in the balance. The drama escalates as Arizona tries desperately to mend her broken marriage, while Derek and Meredith juggle their roles as surgeons and new parents. Meanwhile, a stunning betrayal pits Cristina against Meredith and, as April prepares for her big day, a familiar face returns to town. Big secrets lead to big problems and turn best friends into rivals.

Relive “Grey’s Anatomy: The Complete Tenth Season” like never before with DVD exclusive bonus features that take you behind the scenes and draw you closer into the lives of the unforgettable men and women of “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Talent/Cast:  “Grey’s Anatomy” stars Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey, Patrick Dempsey as Derek Shepherd, Sandra Oh as Cristina Yang, Justin Chambers as Alex Karev, Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, James Pickens, Jr. as Richard Webber, Sara Ramirez as Callie Torres, Kevin McKidd as Owen Hunt, Jessica Capshaw as Arizona Robbins, Jesse Williams as Jackson Avery, Sarah Drew as April Kepner, Camilla Luddington as Jo Wilson, Gaius Charles as Shane Ross, Jerrika Hinton as Stephanie Edwards and Tessa Ferrer as Leah Murphy.

Executive Producers:     Grey’s Anatomy” was created and is executive produced by Shonda Rhimes (“Scandal”, “Private Practice”, “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge”). Betsy Beers (“Scandal”, “Private Practice”, “Casanova”), Mark Gordon (“Saving Private Ryan”), Rob Corn (“Chicago Hope”), Tony Phelan and Joan Rater (“Law& Order: Trial by Jury”), Zoanne Clack and Stacy McKee are executive producers. “Grey’s Anatomy” is an ABC Studios production.

Bonus Features:
Extended Episode “Do You Know?”
Spotlight on Sandra Oh – Dr. Cristina Yang is one of the most beloved characters on Grey’s Anatomy. Get to know the actress who plays her as we sit with Sandra and reminisce about her favorite moments and memories, as she winds up her 10-year run.
Medical, Medical – The medical procedures on Grey’s Anatomy have intensified the hospital drama since day one. In this featurette, watch selected cast members get a tutorial from medical producer Linda Klein. From sewing stitches to starting a central line, we’ll see what it takes for the actors to pull off their TV surgical skills.
Bloopers
Deleted Scenes

TV’s Breakout Hit Returns

NASHVILLE: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON

Own All 22 Tantalizing Episodes Plus Never-Before-Seen Bonus Content Available Only on DVD September 23, 2014

Synopsis: Indulge your passion for drama, music, intrigue and seduction in ABC’s much buzzed about second season of “Nashville.”

Rayna Jaymes (Connie Britton) and Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere) are at the top of their game, but in Nashville, the higher you rise, the farther you fall. In the aftermath of her mother’s death, Juliette is poised to shine brighter than ever – until a sordid scandal threatens to destroy her. Meanwhile, after Rayna nearly loses her life (and her voice) in a horrific accident, she bounces back with her own record label and a new man. But can she still fire up audiences without Deacon by her side…and in her bed?

Meanwhile, Deacon must strike a balance with Teddy when the truth about Maddie’s paternity is revealed, Rayna’s breakout label star Scarlett must find a way to cope with life in the proverbial fast lane, and Lamar Wyatt’s sudden release from prison exposes the truth behind a shocking murder mystery!

Relive all 22 compelling episodes, plus access never-before-seen bonus features only available on DVD. Savor every moment of sin and song in a city where everyone has something to prove and everything to lose in “Nashville: The Complete Second Season.”

Talent/Cast: “Nashville” stars Connie Britton as Rayna Jaymes, Hayden Panettiere as Juliette Barnes, Charles Esten as Deacon Claybourne, Eric Close as Teddy Conrad, Clare Bowen as Scarlett O’Connor, Jonathan Jackson as Avery Barkley, Sam Palladio as Gunnar Scott, Chris Carmack as Will Lexington, Lennon Stella as Maddie Conrad and Maisy Stella as Daphne Conrad.

Executive Producers: Dee Johnson (“Boss,” “The Good Wife”), R.J. Cutler (“The September Issue,” “The War Room,” “A Perfect Candidate”), Callie Khouri (“Thelma & Louise”) and Steve Buchanan are executive producers of “Nashville.” The series is produced by Lionsgate, ABC Studios and Opry Entertainment.

Bonus Features:
Bloopers
Deleted Scenes

The Time for New Adventures Has Come.

ONCE UPON A TIME:THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON

Own All 22 Bewitching Episodes and Never-Before-Seen Bonus Content Only on Blu-ray™ & DVD August 19, 2014

Synopsis:     Can five heroic characters set aside their personal grudges and private demons to rescue Henry – and themselves – from the ultimate evil? Experience the heart-pounding action and tantalizing suspense of Once Upon a Time: The Complete Third Season.

The stakes are higher than ever in a Neverland that’s the stuff of nightmares. At the dark heart of its mystery is Peter Pan, an ageless entity with a diabolical agenda and a chilling secret. For Emma, Henry, Hook, Rumple, Regina, Charming, and Snow, Pan’s actions have far-reaching consequences that will change their lives forever, create new alliances and introduce both Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forest to a powerful new villain of legendary wickedness – the Wicked Witch.

Add Season 3 to your Once Upon a Time collectionand relive all 22 bewitching episodes, plus access never-before-seen bonus features. Each time you watch, you’ll fall deeper under the spell of this irresistible series!

Talent/Cast:  Once Upon a Time stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Mary Margaret Blanchard, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/David Nolan, Emilie De Ravin as Belle/Lacey, Colin O’Donoghue as Captain Hook/Killian Jones, Lana Parilla as Evil Queen/Regina Mills, Jared Gilmore as Peter Pan/Henry Miles, Michael Raymond-James as Baelfire/Neal Cassidy and Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold.

Executive Producers:   Once Upon a Time was created by Adam Horowitz (Lost, Tron: Legacy) and Edward Kitsis (Lost, Tron: Legacy), who serve as executive producers. Steve Pearlman and
David H. Goodman are executive producers.  Once Upon a Time is produced by ABC Studios.

Bonus Features:   Wicked Villains – What makes the villains of “Once Upon A Time” tick?  These complicated characters are not only wicked, evil and dastardly but sometimes heroic, charming and brave.  The actors who embody these bad guys and the writers who create them take an in depth look at the show’s interpretation of everyone’s favorite foes. 
The Tale of Ariel – Follow the tale of everyone’s favorite mermaid, Ariel, played by Joanna Garcia, as we track the character’s development and story throughout the season. We will see the development of her look, track her story and watch her introduction to the other characters of Storybrooke/Fairytale Land.
 Inside the Writer’s Room: The Next Big Character – Get an inside look into the secret chambers of the writers of “Once Upon a Time.”
The Fairest Bloopers of Them All
Deleted Scenes
Audio Commentaries

Revenge Has No Limits.

REVENGE: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON

All 22 Devilishly Entertaining Episodes + Revealing Bonus Content Available Only on DVD August 26, 2014

Synopsis: Get ready for a sizzling hot summer in the Hamptons. Emily Thorne’s brilliant plan for vengeance takes a wicked turn in ABC’s “Revenge: The Complete Third Season.”  Relive the mystery, the fire, and the intrigue of TV’s most delightfully devilish series.

Season Three starts with a bang as Emily Thorne is shot and left for dead on her wedding day. But who pulled the trigger? Back at Grayson Manor, Conrad finds himself in the line of fire, and a flame from Daniel’s past may be the perfect new pawn for Victoria to play with – as she moves to defeat Emily for good. To top it all off, a surprise appearance of an old rival makes sparks fly as the wedding of the century approaches.

Experience the drama of all 22 smoldering episodes, complete with exclusive bonus features that reveal even more juicy secrets. Let the fireworks begin!

Talent/Cast: “Revenge” stars Emily VanCamp as Emily Thorne/Amanda Clarke, Madeleine Stowe as Victoria Grayson, Josh Bowman as Daniel Grayson, Nick Wechsler as Jack Porter, Gabriel Mann as Nolan Ross, Henry Czerny as Conrad Grayson, Christa B. Allen as Charlotte Grayson, and Barry Sloane as Aiden Mathis.

Executive Producers:     “Revenge” isexecutive produced by Sunil Nayar (Body of Proof, Oz), Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey (The Twilight Saga), as well as Gretchen J. Berg and Aaron Harberts (GCB).  The series, created by Mike Kelley (The O.C., One Tree Hill), is produced by ABC Studios.

Bonus Features:              Table For Five – Josh Bowman, Nick Weschler, Barry Sloane, Gabriel Mann and Henry Czerny enjoy some downtime at the Stowaway. Rivals on screen and buddies behind the scenes, the men dole out equal parts respect and ribbings  as they share details about their beginnings and ending, bromances, and on-set pranks.
Audio Commentary
Bloopers
Deleted Scenes

The Secret is Out!

SCANDAL: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON

Get Even More of the Show You Love with Exclusive “Too Hot For TV” Bonus Features, Including a Never-Before-Seen Extended Episode!  Available on DVD September 23, 2014

Synopsis: Forget everything you thought you knew about who to trust…and who to fear. The suspense ratchets up as secrets are revealed, loyalties are tested, and dark truths come to light in ABC’s “Scandal: The Complete Third Season.”

Now, seemingly invincible “fixer” Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) must confront the ultimate challenge: fixing herself. After sifting through her mysterious father’s labyrinth of lies, Olivia’s search for answers about her mother threatens not just national security, but the entire world. Meanwhile, the lives of her “gladiators” – as well as those of the president, his wife and key White House staffers – take sinister, unexpected turns. And when the major power brokers are themselves broken, who will be left to clean up the mess?

Watch the intensity unfold in all 18 episodes of “Scandal’s” riveting third season. Then, delve deeper behind the intrigue with exclusive, never-before-seen bonus features only available on DVD.

Talent/Cast:   “Scandal” stars Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope, Columbus Short as Harrison Wright, Guillermo Diaz as Huck, Darby Stanchfield as Abby Whelen, Katie Lowes as Quinn Perkins, Tony Goldwyn as President Fitzgerald Grant, Jeff Perry as Cyrus Beane, Josh Malina as David Rosen, Bellamy Young as Mellie Grant and Scott Foley as Jake Ballard.

Creator: Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice)

Bonus Features:  Extended Finale Episode “The Price of Free and Fair Elections”
 L.A. For D.C. – The White House, The Capitol and the National Mall – these are just a few of the places that viewers see as they watch the show.  Check out the magic as we discover how Hollywood, CA transforms into our nation’s capital.  See the locations which Scandal shoots, learn how they accurately build sets, and see the digital magic  that goes into plate shots.
Jeff Perry Spotlight – Get to know actor Jeff Perry who portrays Cyrus Beene, the President’s Chief of Staff, and close friend of Olivia Pope.  Jeff has a long history with Shondaland, and we will hear from Shonda and his costars as Jeff shares with us his personal acting history.
Deleted Scenes
Bloopers

John Ottman is known best for his roles of editor and also composer on numerous films including “The Usual Suspects”, “X2”, “Jack and the Giant Slayer, “Superman Returns” and most recently “X-Men: Days of Future Past”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with John again about working with Bryan Singer and returning to the “X-Men” franchise.

Mike Gencarelli: Having score “X2” and now “X-Men: Days of Future Past”; tell us about returning to the franchise and about your approach to this score?
John Ottman: “X2” was one of my first big movies that I got to tackle. I always look back at those times very fondly because that exhibits an exciting time in my life. It was also a film that went very smoothly for all of us involved. I looked forward to going back into the series, especially since musically I had themes that I always wanted to go back to but wasn’t able to because we didn’t stick around for the third film. In the score for “X2”, I wrote a lot of motifs that I had planned to put somewhere in the next movie. So it always irked me that I wasn’t able to complete what I started. So this film came me an opportunity to pick up where I left off with “X2”. Naturally, it is a different kind of story, a little more modern, and also eleven years later. So I was just really excited that I got to preserve my themes.

MG: Since the film takes place in the past and the future; what was it like combining those two different sounds into one cohesive score?
JO: That is the trick actually to make it all cohesive. But because there is such a vast difference between the past and the future, it wasn’t that difficult to work with because the score was actually set the difference between the two time periods. In the 70’s, I got to infuse some analog synthesizer sound, some electric piano and guitar and so forth. So, that was actually really fun for me to do.

MG: What was your biggest challenge on “”X-Men: Days of Future Past”?
JO: Time travel [laughs]. I have said this in a few interviews. When I look back at this movie, I think about a Whac-A-Mole game. With time travel, you Whac-A-Mole to solve one problem and then create another. We just kept whacking and whacking until the smallest mole comes up that we could live with. Since you can never solve every issue. Really my job was to build consensus and really fight for things I thought we needed to do in the movie. That is how I look back on my experience on the movie basically. There was a lot of passion pleases to do certain things [laughs]. It was a very complicated film. The main challenge was the keep the story clear given all the convolution of the various situations.

MG: This is your seventh film working with Bryan Singer; what keeps you guys coming back together?
JO: I guess good stories and scripts. He keeps telling me to edit his films otherwise he won’t let me score them [laughs]. It is the blackmail that keeps us together.

MG: Speaking of the editing, as with “X2” and many other films, you took on the role of editor as well as composer; tell us about this other aspect of working on the film?
JO: The short story is that when we did out first feature film way back, “Public Access”, which won the Sundance Film Festival. I came on as the editor on the film and also ended up writing the score as well. So when we put “The Usual Suspects” deal together, I said “I just want to write the score” and Bryan said “Hell no, you are going to edit the film as well”. He saw the symbiosis that occurs when you do both jobs. Basically the same story just continues through today. He prefers that I leave my scoring career and go into what I call “editing jail” for two years. Both tasks are telling the story and if they are both being done by the same person it can bring better clarity into the storytelling.

MG: What is your next project and what can we expect next?
JO: Life [laughs]. A life. I purposely did not line anything up after this. I didn’t want to jump right into another project. After “Jack and the Giant Slayer” and then “X-Men: Days of Future Past”, it was three solid years and I need to take a break. I am sure I will get itchy and start looking in a few months but then again maybe not [laughs].

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Photo credit: Fitz Carlile

Matthew Llewellyn has various on films like “Dead Souls” for the Chiller Network as well as additional music for “John Dies At The End” and even the video game “Far Cry 3”. His latest film, “Deep In The Darkness” is premiering on Chiller Network on May 23rd. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Matthew about scoring film and also working with composer Brian Tyler.

Mike Gencarelli: You mentored with Brian Tyler, who is an amazing composer, how did that come about?
Matthew Llewellyn: A good friend of mine Bob Lydecker, who I attended graduate school with at the University of Southern California referred me. He was Brian’s assistant at the time and they needed some extra help in the studio so he gave me a call. After getting my feet wet with projects like “Final Destination 5” and “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3” I continued working there for a few years. It wasn’t always easy but I definitely had a blast.

MG: Tell us about how you ended up composing the film “Deep In The Darkness” for Chiller Network?
ML: I’ve worked with director Colin Theys and Synthetic Cinema International for a handful of years now scoring Colin’s previous films for Chiller, “Dead Souls” and “Remains”.

MG: When you score a horror film, tell us about your approach to finding the sound?
ML: Whenever I sit down to write a score I always focus on the thematic material first. After Colin and I spotted “Deep In The Darkness” we talked at lengths about what characters and/or places will have themes. We eventually decided upon the following themes:

Michael’s Theme – “Back into the Light”, “Ashborough Assimilation”
Michael’s Contemplative Theme (Secondary) – “A Good Fit”
Ashborough Theme – “Welcome to Ashborough”
Lady Zellis’ Theme – “Don’t Trust Lady Zellis”
Isolates’ Motif – “Infiltrating the House”

Most are very melodic aside from the Isolates’ motif, which is a creepy pulsating string cluster that returns whenever the Isolates are present. After all of the themes were approved I went through the film and mapped out how they would evolve with the story. When the musical framework was in place I dove into writing individual cues.

MG: What would you say was your biggest challenge on this project?
ML: I would say the shear amount of work. I composed and orchestrated every single note of the score so the sound you’re hearing is 100% me.

MG: Now for a relatively hard one…favorite score of all time and favorite score last/this year?
ML: Tough question indeed! I think my favorite score of all time is John Williams’ “E.T. The Extra Terrestrial” with his score for “Hook” a close second. E.T. is one of those incredible filmmaking moments where the perfect score was written for the perfect movie and I’m confident that it will go down in history as one of the greatest film scores ever written. It has become iconic and a staple for the term “movie magic”. Whenever I hear the “Bike Chase” ostinato start in the last reel of the film I just smile because I know something amazing is about to happen. I was fortunate to see John Williams conduct the last reel of E.T. to picture at the Hollywood Bowl a couple years ago; it was definitely something I will never forget.

I just saw the new “Godzilla” film the other night and I have to say Alexandre Desplat’s score is absolutely incredible. That definitely takes the cake for my favorite score of the last year. It’s not overly thematic but it is full of brilliant writing and orchestration. I loved his work on “Grand Budapest Hotel” as well.

MG: What else do you have on the cards upcoming?
ML: I’m currently working for Brian Tyler on “The Expendables 3”. I have a few other things in the pipeline at the moment but they are hush-hush.

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Glenn Howerton can usually be seen on FX playing the slightly diabolical Dennis Reynolds on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”, on which he also writes and executive produces. However this spring he’s joined the network’s newest drama, Fargo, based on the critically acclaimed Coen brothers film. Howerton plays Don Chumph a gullible personal trainer out to blackmail his client’s wealthy ex-husband with the help of Lorne Malvo (an intense Billy Bob Thornton). The multi-talented Howerton joined MediaMikes on a call to discuss Don, Fargo and was more than happy to field a few ‘Sunny’ questions as well.

What originally attracted you to the show and playing Don?

Glenn Howerton: I didn’t know a whole lot about it when I said yes to it if I’m being honest. You know, television moves at a different pace than film. I knew that the Coen Brothers were involved, I’ve been a big fan of FX dramas for a while, and obviously I’ve been a part of the family for many many years and the president of FX John Landgraf called me and you know, he knows my background is not really in comedy. A lot of my background is actually in a lot more dramatic stuff, weird. You know so he threw it out there, ‘would you ever want to be on one of our dramas?’ and I said absolutely. So it just came along and even though it’s kind of a comedic role, he felt like it was something I hadn’t really done comedically before and it was part of a drama and he explained the concept to me, who the character was, what the tone of the show was. I’m a big fan of the movie Fargo. Basically without ever even seeing the script, I said yes just because of all the people that were involved.

Would you say the character of Don is a reference to the character Brad Pitt played in the Coens’s Burn After Reading?

Howerton: I assumed the same thing you did when I read the script, that it was a pretty clear homage to that character. I don’t remember ever actually having that conversation with Noah [Hawley] but I know that he definitely wanted to distinguish it enough from that character. Which I think is something that happens naturally when you cast two actors. He and I are always going to have a different take on it. So yeah, I think the homage was clearly there but I certainly tried to stay away from anything Brad did in the movie. It was nice because I actually did rewatch a lot of Coen Brothers movies including Burn After Reading and I was like my god, Brad Pitt’s performance in that is so brilliant…I don’t even think I could match that even if I wanted to.

Your character is not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, how difficult is that to play?

Howerton: Well some of the tools are not meant to be sharp. So I’ll start with that, you know, you’ve got a lot of instruments in the tool shed…It’s kind of a difficult question to answer only because I’m one of those guys that I have to just kind of feel it. Otherwise it becomes a very intellectual exercise if I start thinking about it too much. So I think it’s more getting into a very open minded mindset where for me, I felt like this was the kind of guy who is very easily influenced. Especially by someone with such a presence as Lorne Malvo has. Obviously there is the threat of violence behind it all. But I think this guy’s not so much afraid of any kind of violence against him as he is of sort of getting caught. I don’t know, it’s sort of just the feeling of being innocent again. I mean it is a very different character than the character certainly I play on ‘Sunny’, who thinks he knows everything. I think this guy thinks he doesn’t know as much as he needs to know. But I don’t know…I think it’s just bringing a real openess to the role. More listening than demanding or saying.

How was it sharing scenes with Billy Bob Thornton as Lorne?

Howerton: Billy’s great. I’m always a little concerned any time I get into a scene with somebody who I–you know someone I have so much respect for as I do with Billy. Just because they say never meet your idol, you know, so…I don’t want to meet this guy and have him be a son of a bitch or something. But he could not be a nicer, easier person to work with. He’s extremely open to suggestion, very easy to work with. Very professional, being on set knowing all of his lines, clearly is listening. I’m a big fan people who I feel like when I’m talking to them in the scene, they’re actually listening to what I’m saying. So even if I did flub a line, he was listening to me, he’d pick up on it. So it was a lot of fun. It kind of became like a really weird sort of Abbott and Costello-y kind of relationship where I kind of end up becoming his lackey. It was a lot of fun and you know, I’m not accustomed to usually playing the, for lack of a better word, the dumb one in the comedic relationship. I’m usually the straight man so it was a lot of fun not playing the straight man.

Did you have a favorite scene while shooting Fargo?

Howerton: I’m thinking the scene that I did in the closet with [Billy Bob] was a lot of fun which in the script was actually a little bit of a longer scene with more in there. But as I’m well versed with ‘Sunny’, you only have so much time to tell the story so you gotta cut out anything that’s not absolutely essential. But I had a really good time shooting that scene.  It’s almost awkward to be literally inches away from someone’s face doing a scene. But I think that’s part of why it’s so awkward and funny to shoot.

Coming from writing and acting on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, is it hard to resist coming up with input on this character?

Howerton:  It’s not hard for me to resist it because it’s not something that, this is going to sound weird, I’m not compelled often to be a writer. I would much rather as an actor get something that’s so well written that I don’t feel the desire to write it or rewrite it. And that was certainly the case with Noah’s writing. I think he strove for a certain amount of excellence in his writing where you said things pretty much word for word that would convey exactly the message that it needed to convey. So I really stuck pretty closely to the script on this one, but to Noah’s credit, there were certain sections where my character was sort of fumfering through a moment where he was absolutely open to me changing or altering things in any way that I saw fit. But to be honest, most of the time I stuck pretty closely to the script.

How would the ‘Sunny’ gang cope with the situation that Don’s found himself in?

Howerton: I think that’s a difficult question to answer certainly because…most of the guest star roles we have on Sunny are sort of mowed over by our extremely energetic, forceful characters. You know, in season seven we actually did have a similar situation of being trapped in a closet…so I think the difference between Don and Dennis, Dennis would have spent the entire time trying to get out of that closet. Whereas Don just you know, just spent the night eating whatever he had in the cabinet and peeing into his shoe. Or whatever the hell he did, I don’t know. I think he’s a much more thoughtful, trusting character, Don. Whereas Dennis is you know more cynical and untrusting.

There’s a rumored Lethal Weapon reboot happening, how would the Always Sunny Gang react to that news having made their own sequels?

Howerton: My god. I didn’t hear that. They’re talking about remaking Lethal Weapon?

Lauren Damon: Yeah, with Chris Hemsworth.

Howerton: Oh wow, wow. Okay. Well I think they you know, in true Sunny fashion, there would be some characters who would be excited about it. And I think there would be some characters who would be adamently against it. And then the characters would probably battle it out in some way. But personally, me? Sure. Why not? [laughs] I thought the Robocop remake was good, I’ll say that!

“Fargo” airs on FX Tuesday nights at 10pm

“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” has recently began shooting its tenth season.

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Any fans of “Fraggle Rock” out there…I know there are! Well, this might be something for you(r kids) if you are looking for a return to Fraggle Rock. It has been more than 30 years since “Fraggle Rock” premiered and now we get a brand new spin-off called “Jim Henson’s Doozers”, which just premiered Hulu Plus with the first few episodes, which run 11-minutes long.

They show is aimed for preschoolers, which is perfect for me because I have a 2 year old and cause use her an excuse to watch. There are 52 episodes planned for this series already, which is a big commitment especially since this new series is Hulu’s first original project for kids.

Trading puppets for computer animation, this Fraggle Rock” spin-off introduces us to the “Pod Squad”, which consits of four new 3-inch-tall kid Doozers: Spike, Molly Bolt, Flex and Daisy Wheel. Check out the clip below, grab your kids and log on to Hulu ASAP!